A Pirate's Ruse
Page 20
He was so comfortable with who he was, with being what he needed to be to survive and to thrive, and he wanted more—he wanted it all. Clara frowned. It hurt too much just to hope for it. How could he so easily embrace it? “I don’t know if I can,” she said. It would mean risking her very heart and she wasn’t sure it was strong enough.
With a grin, he shrugged and grabbed her wrist, turning her around and pulling her to him. She didn't have the capacity to fight him. "Like I said, I'll keep you right here until you do." His hand stroked her hair away from her face and he leaned down to kiss her. Sweet, warm lips pressed to hers. The urgency building in her belly. She wanted him desperately. She’d been too fearful of that want, refusing to even think about him and how much she wanted him. "There is no hurry in the world," he said, his breath on her lips, "and I can't think of anywhere else I'd rather be."
His kiss deepened, growing more urgent. This would kill her if it kept up, and somehow, she had no doubt she'd lose the ability to see anything other than him if he kept this up. Something shifted inside her and she gripped his side, ensuring he couldn't pull away. Urgently she kissed him back, feeling the need for him unfurling in her heart. Maybe she was the one who would grow cold and ruthless if she didn't accept her fate. Maybe it was she who needed to be saved.
Pulling back, he groaned deeply, a coarse sound reverberating through his entire chest. He picked her up in his arms and walked them back to his cabin. Closing her eyes, she just let herself feel his warmth, let it sneak inside her, fill her with hope. They were a team. She had his strength and he had hers. There was nothing they couldn’t do. "You are going to drain me of everything I have if you keep this up," he said.
It would destroy her if this wasn’t true, if he was toying with her, but deep in her heart she knew he wasn’t. He’d given up the town for her—taken a huge risk. But giving into this hope gave him access straight to her heart. “It would tear me apart if we do this and you walk away.”
“I don’t think either of us is capable of doing so. We’re both caught in this.” His gaze traveled along her body and she saw the heat in there. He wanted her, just as badly as she wanted him in return. “All I am, I will give you.”
"Then I will take it all."
He smiled. "I am yours to command. But you will have to let me chase you every once in a while."
"I can do that," she smiled.
Epilogue:
* * *
Port Royal was quiet and the moon not quite full as they snuck along the streets, making their way into the center of town. Clara led the way and they crouched in the darkness as a patrol of mariners walked past.
“There better be a really good reason why we’re here,” Christian said, his voice droll in the darkness.
“You promised you’d do this without asking questions.”
“Which only makes me more suspicious.”
“Worry not. Our target is in sight.”
“I don’t see anything,” he said, looking around the empty square.
Clara snuck out of the shadows, running through the square to the side where the water pump was—a pump operated by a small donkey, turning the wheel that drew water out of the ground, immediately going for the harness of the donkey sleeping on his hooves. The beast jerked slightly, being disturbed in the middle of the night.
“What are you doing? We did not just sneak into Port Royal to steal a donkey.”
“They are making the poor thing walk around in circles all day long. It’s cruel.”
“It’s a donkey. We just risked coming here for a donkey? Are you insane?”
“This is my donkey and it belongs in my town, where he can roam the streets doing anything he wants. I want my donkey and I am not leaving without him.”
Christian groaned through gritted teeth. “If I didn’t know how stubborn you are, I would refuse, but I am not going to start an argument with you in the middle of Port Royal. We’ll talk about this later,” he hissed, grumpily taking the reins of the beast, making no bones about how unhappy he was. “I don’t think you really have a grip on this piracy business. This is not what we do.”
“I just had to right a wrong,” she smiled as she walked behind him to the edge of town. “Some might think it is ridiculous coming for this donkey, but it’s on my team and I look after my own.” She strode after him as he walked briskly. “Fine, I promise I won’t make you do something like this again,” she lied.
Christian grumbled and kept walking, the donkey happily trudging at his side, pleased to finally escape.
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The one thing Serephina Woodford cannot do is let Rowan Cox near her, having been warned of his ruthless tactics. She is so close to achieving her goal and just needs to survive a few more months in order to provide her sister with the future she deserves. She just has to be better than the man trying to find her.
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